An empresario was a person who had been granted the right to settle on land in exchange for recruiting and taking responsibility for new both to settle the eastern areas of
Coahuila y Tejas in the early nineteenth century. The word is
Spanish for
entrepreneur.[1]

By empresarios attracting immigrants mostly from the southern United States to Texas, they inadvertently encouraged the spread of
slavery into this territory. Although Mexico banned slavery in 1836, Texas gained independence that year, and continued to develop an economy dominated by slavery in the eastern part of the territory.

Contents

Background

In the late 18th century, Spain stopped allocating new lands in much of
Spanish Texas, stunting the growth of the province.[2] It changed this policy in 1820, and made it more flexible, allowing colonists of any religion to settle in Texas (formerly settlers were required to be Catholic, the established religion of the Spanish Empire.[3]Moses Austin, a British colonist, was the only man granted an empresarial contract in Texas under Spanish law. But Moses Austin died before he could begin his colony, and Mexico
achieved its independence from Spain in September 1821. At this time, about 3500 colonists lived in Texas, mostly congregated at
San Antonio and
La Bahia.[4]

The Mexican government continued the generous immigration policies in order to develop east Texas.[5] Even as the government debated a new colonization law,
Stephen F. Austin, son of Moses Austin, was given permission to take over his father's colonization contract. Steven F. Austin is probably the best known and most successful empresario in Texas. The first group of colonists, known as the
Old Three Hundred, arrived in 1822 and settled along the
Brazos River, ranging from the
Gulf of Mexico to near present-day
Dallas.[6]

Mexico approved immigration on a wider basis in 1824 with passage of the
General Colonization Law. This law authorized all heads of household who were citizens of or immigrants to Mexico as eligible to claim land.[5] After the law passed, the state government of
Coahuila y Tejas was inundated with requests by foreign speculators to establish colonies within the state.[7] There was no shortage of people willing to come to Texas. The United States was still struggling with the aftermath of the
Panic of 1819, and soaring land prices within the United States made the Mexican land policy seem very generous.[7]

Most successful empresarios recruited colonists primarily in the United States. Only two of the groups that attempted to recruit in Europe built lasting colonies,
Refugio and
San Patricio.[8][9] These colonies were successful in part because the empresarios spoke Spanish, were Catholic and generally familiar with Mexican ways, and allowed local Mexican families to join their colonies.[9]

Rules for settlers

Unlike its predecessor, the Mexican law required immigrants to practice Catholicism and stressed that foreigners needed to learn Spanish.[10] Settlers were supposed to own property or have a craft or useful profession, and all people wishing to live in Texas were expected to report to the nearest Mexican authority for permission to settle. The rules were widely disregarded and many families became squatters.[11]

Under the new laws, people who did not already possess property in Texas could claim one square league (4438 acres) of irrigable land, with an additional league available to those who owned cattle. Empresarios and individuals with large families were exempt from the limit.[12]

Manchaca, Martha (2001), Recovering History, Constructing Race: The Indian, Black, and White Roots of Mexican Americans, The Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Series in Latin American and Latino Art and Culture,
Austin, TX:
University of Texas Press,
ISBN0-292-75253-9